TOKYO - Japan's rice prices per 5 kg rose to a record of 4,233 yen (about $30) in the week through April 27, hitting its highest level for the 17th straight week and remaining at more than double the level a year earlier, according to the agriculture ministry.
Between April 21 and 27, the average price for 5 kg of rice sold at around 1,000 supermarkets across the country went up 13 yen from the previous week, marking the highest level since data collection began in March 2022, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said Wednesday.
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The Japanese government has been releasing 212,132 tons of stockpiled rice gradually following two rounds of auctions in March, in a bid to stabilize supply.
Although thousands of tons of government stockpiled rice had been released through auctions in March, only a small portion has reached supermarket shelves, resulting in the continued high retail price of the staple, local media reported.
